This wasn’t the Sungtaro update we all wanted.
On May 24, 2023, SM Entertainment announced that Shotaro and Sungchan have parted ways with NCT, and will be debuting under SM 3.0’s newest boy group later this year.
The statement, which has been posted on all of their social media, as well as NCT’s official accounts, reads as follows:
“This is SM Entertainment.
First and foremost,
we would like express our sincerest gratitude to all the fans who love and support NCT.
Below is our announcement that informs you on the future plans of SUNGCHAN and SHOTARO.
As NCT members, SUNGCHAN and SHOTARO have presented wondrous performances.
However, they will be closing their chapter with NCT
and debuting in a new boy group that will launch in 2023.
We express our deepest apologies and appreciation for the fans that have been supporting
and eagerly waiting for them to debut as part of a new NCT group.
After careful consideration and discussion with SUNGCHAN and SHOTARO in preparation of SM 3.0,
we have come to a decision that would best reflect the artists’ thoughts
and each of the group’s artistic and musical direction.
We ask for your kind understanding and support
for SUNGCHAN and SHOTARO as they begin a new chapter.
NCT’s newest group will become the final group to be a part of NCT’s infinite expansion,
so we aim to launch one with a distinctive worldview that is truly representative of a regional identity.
In alignment with this, we will be increasing the number of Japanese members,
unveiling new members and sharing their debut journey with the fans.
We will provide full support for not only the NCT members but also for SUNGCHAN and SHOTARO.
We ask once again that fans show continuous
and unwavering love and support for their future endeavors.
Thank you.”
SM Entertainment also released a new video on the future plans of SM 3.0, where SM CEO Jang Cheol-yuk announced that the company plans to debut NCT’s last unit, a new boy group (where Shotaro and Sungchan will be a part of), and a new girl group in 2023.
SM Entertainment plans to debut three different groups this year
🔺 NCT’s new team : collaboration with Japanese media companies
🔺 New boy group : Sungchan, Shotaro, Eunseok, Seunghan & more
🔺 New girl group : debut in the 4th quarter of 2023https://t.co/9oz0U7r9ht https://t.co/ZKbweDeRmx pic.twitter.com/39ftU1XCIU— The Seoul Story (@theseoulstory) May 24, 2023
Shohei, who was announced as a part of SM ROOKIES back in 2022, was also announced to not debut in NCT’s “New Team” for health reasons.
Shotaro and Sungchan debuted as members of NCT during the group’s second full-group comeback in 2020. Shotaro was part of the line-up for the “NCT Resonance Pt. 1” title track, “Make A Wish (Birthday Song)”, while Sungchan was part of the line-up for the “NCT Resonance Pt. 2” title track, “90’s Love”.
NCTzens and everyone who have been anticipating Shotaro and Sungchan’s official unit debut took to social media to express their disappointment at the news. While some still showed their support for the duo, others also expressed their anger at SM Entertainment for overlooking their artists.
"increase the number of japanese members" shotaro is japanese and sungchan promoted nct in japan you're telling me that was all for naught? https://t.co/beDO8S9PSr
— mia 💎 (@NE0PEARL) May 24, 2023
sungchan was the one who introduced the plans for nct 2023 on the nct show but now he’s the one who’s not gonna be able to partake in it. pic.twitter.com/Hrpkq2exui
— r ✿ (@4jeonglee) May 24, 2023
“I sincerely thank the members and the fans who have gifted the lacking me with so much precious times.”
nct cheering sungchan on during his first day of filming with them. 🥲 https://t.co/aTplWTCsjI pic.twitter.com/h7z59mep0V
— r ✿ (@4jeonglee) May 24, 2023
these sungtaro pics mean so much to me. no way it was all for nothing 🥺#UnhappyNCTzens pic.twitter.com/azNpeb61Rm
— żαyทαв💡☝🏽😃 (@neocultleader) May 24, 2023
yuta’s reply to shotaro’s letter… ☹️☹️ pic.twitter.com/wBAbWSNeO3
— َ (@chirinhae) May 24, 2023
it’s insane sungchan and shotaro even did a tv show in japan for the sole purpose of promoting nct in japan only for them not to be in nct tokyo?? pic.twitter.com/nAGXzT62wU
— r ✿ (@4jeonglee) May 24, 2023
hoping only the best for shotaro, sungchan, shohei, eunseok & seunghan. My five precious ♡ pic.twitter.com/Ua0J8iVY2p
— ソ (@eunseokarchives) May 24, 2023
thank you so much for working so hard for the past years sungchan and shotaro 💚 we all love you so much and will support you forever in this new journey!! pic.twitter.com/rVVqNmJ1uM
— bells is seeing nct dream (@jensungirl) May 24, 2023
my nct sungchan and shotaro 😭🥺 pic.twitter.com/i63Cj7lbNZ
— r ✿ (@4jeonglee) May 24, 2023
3 years of debuting in nct but didn’t even get a unit until now just to get kicked out of the group… i feel so bad for sungchan and shotaro
— ❤︎ (@jaeminners) May 24, 2023
not sm treating nct like an internship for sungchan and shotaro… that’s horrible planning 😭
— 🐱 #200 (@802hyuck) May 24, 2023
sungchan and shotaro leaving nct my day is ruined pic.twitter.com/HWpV7ovaqa
— ver // 🍉 (@vctmsoflove) May 24, 2023
just look at how neo coded sungchan, shotaro, seunghan, shohei, and eunseok are. we almost had them in the nct brand, it's disappointing 😔 pic.twitter.com/leDR4FUmCJ
— ᴊᴄ (@itsaboutmork) May 24, 2023
literally NOTHING could’ve prepared me for this like im happy for sungchan n shotaro finally getting their debut but it’ll be sad not to see em in nct content anymore 😭💔 https://t.co/KYkXX1mfnt
— َ (@chirinhae) May 24, 2023
now this picture will remain as a legendary pictures. i mean literally legendary, when no one interrupts my boys. Lucas, Sungchan, Shotaro. Once NCT is NCT pic.twitter.com/vTbMNF459v
— ᴡɪɴɴɪᴇ| 昀昀☁️ .｡*♡ // 𝓛𝓲𝓽𝓽𝓵𝓮 𝓛𝓲𝓰𝓱𝓽 🩵 (@winwintheduck) May 24, 2023
thank you' shotaro & sungchan 🤍🥺 i wish you the bright futures that you both deserve ☹️💗 pic.twitter.com/luma9Sqtrk
— ︎#1 jisung enthusiast (@JlSUNGlE) May 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/YUT4SNYMPH/status/1661255194838175745?s=20
https://twitter.com/pinxdery/status/1661244213521178625?s=20
when almost everyone's busy and booked, sungtaro w/ jungwoo stood to represent NCT on ISAC 2022 and amazingly brought home gold medal on archery on their first ISAC ever. they worked so hard coz they want to bring win to the group…
and now sungchan and shotaro are leaving :((
— naya. (@ohahpotato) May 24, 2023
so they’ve kicked sungchan and shotaro out to add new members to a unit when they could’ve just saved effort and obviously used pre-existing ones?? https://t.co/sSiJB7SOiJ pic.twitter.com/88f4OM3tCr
— moved check 📌 (@karinayonce) May 24, 2023
https://twitter.com/tyongjaewoo/status/1661239942532694023?s=20
WHY WOULD THEY REMOVE SUNGCHAN AND SHOTARO IN NCT??? THOSE TWO BELONG TO NEO CULTURE pic.twitter.com/pfJH7RvKe8
— 🍓 (@joweeberry) May 24, 2023
"we are planning to add more japanese members" AFTER KICKING OUT A JAPANESE MEMBER???? HELLO???
— saf 🚀🧡🧋 (@tarosfile) May 24, 2023
Sungchan and Shotaro leaving NCT
Shohei leaving rookies for health issues
NCT Tokyo will have new members
BBL will end in Junewhat else sm?? drop it all in one day !!
— Lulu_Nana (@ms_laihan) May 24, 2023
as sm entertainment announces shotaro and sungchan’s departure for nct, this account will now be supporting sungtaro in their debut in sm’s new boy group. thank you to nct and nctzens for their support after all these years pic.twitter.com/U0rG9pRWSq
— riize pics (@riizepics) May 24, 2023
in one hand i'm quite sad that shotaro is leaving nct, on the other, i feel like debuting in a whole new group will give him bigger opportunities without the burden of living up to the older unit's achievements
— saf 🚀🧡🧋 (@tarosfile) May 24, 2023
No matter how sad we all are about the news, we’ll still support you in your future activities, Shotaro and Sungchan! The both of you will always be neo-coded to us.
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